New ef 50mm 1.2 annoucement coming?

[YuengLinger]

Boo hoo, boo hoo. :-[ :-[

Tried my second Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art, and it was worse than the first one I sent back last year. Shooting on 5DIII, AF all over the freaking place. Good focus only about 25% of the time in good light with high shutter speeds. Even when doing an AFMA, got completely different results from one series to another. Crazy. In actual use, one shot spot on, next two, nothing changed, front focus. Completely unpredictable! Impossible with people, because expressions change so fast. I didn't get a 50mm for found still-lifes!

So...Back to waiting for Canon's second coming...

Viggo, you don't know how lucky you got!

 

[Viggo]

Boo hoo, boo hoo. :-[ :-[

Tried my second Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art, and it was worse than the first one I sent back last year. Shooting on 5DIII, AF all over the freaking place. Good focus only about 25% of the time in good light with high shutter speeds. Even when doing an AFMA, got completely different results from one series to another. Crazy. In actual use, one shot spot on, next two, nothing changed, front focus. Completely unpredictable! Impossible with people, because expressions change so fast. I didn't get a 50mm for found still-lifes!

So...Back to waiting for Canon's second coming...

Viggo, you don't know how lucky you got!

Oh man, sorry to hear that... I know that feeling all too well... I see the 35 L II might me around the corner, both the 50 Art and 16-35 will have to go to fund it, and I'll be a very happy camper. The 50 Art is stable AF-wise now, but it is still slow and after I bought the 135 again and compared them, it's really no contest for precision with fast erratic subjects.

 

[zim]

With the new 35 design (size and weight) and IQ which must follow through to the 50s I'm beginning to think that the next 50s will be f2.0 IS USM to replace the 1.4 and a 1.4L USM to replace the 1.2L

Anyone else think the 1.2 days may be numbered?

 

[YuengLinger]

With the new 35 design (size and weight) and IQ which must follow through to the 50s I'm beginning to think that the next 50s will be f2.0 IS USM to replace the 1.4 and a 1.4L USM to replace the 1.2L

Non sequitur.

 

[privatebydesign]

Anyone else think the 1.2 days may be numbered?

No, absolutely not.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

With the new 35 design (size and weight) and IQ which must follow through to the 50s I'm beginning to think that the next 50s will be f2.0 IS USM to replace the 1.4 and a 1.4L USM to replace the 1.2L

Anyone else think the 1.2 days may be numbered?

Unfortunately the 50L is a newer design than many of the other primes in the Canon lens portfolio. So it's reasonable to assume that it's a low priority on Canon's "to-do" list. I'm sure they will get around to it eventually...but with the news of the new 35mm f1.4 II L and the fact that the 135mm f2 L and 16-35II L potential upgrades...all three lenses are big sellers for Canon.
If Canon were to make a "state of the art" 50mm L prime, I believe that it would be big seller. Many semi pro photographers like to use f2.8 zooms ('oly trinity etc), but like a single fast prime in their bag for occasional low light situations. The 50mm is THE most versatile of all the general focal lengths (although I tend to prefer a 35mm). So instead of just selling to the 24/50/100 macro community, they would also sell to the 16-35/24-70/70-200 f2.8 community and that's a bigger market than the "primesters".

 

[zim]

With the new 35 design (size and weight) and IQ which must follow through to the 50s I'm beginning to think that the next 50s will be f2.0 IS USM to replace the 1.4 and a 1.4L USM to replace the 1.2L

Non sequitur.

How? Look at the size and weight increase of the new 35, if followed through to a 50L would result in a fairly hefty lens no? how would you limit weight and size one obvious option would be to reduce it to 1.4
It was just a thought based on a single simple extrapolation, one which I hope is wrong incidentally.

 

[7enderbender]

Interesting. I just saw this rumor this morning. Obviously, this is nothing new. I personally think it would be a pity if this great lens was to be removed from the line-up. Frankly, the 50 1.2 was one of the key reasons I stayed with Canon when switching from the FD system to digital. Nikon doesn't have a lens like this so that was that.

I understand that it's not for everyone and, yes, it has limitations and weaknesses. But trying to eliminate them would result in a very different outcome from what I know. Why not simply take the 50 1.4 and give it a more professional build quality. I'd buy that one too. My 50L is and remains my most used lens.

 

[Murilo_mms]

I´m waiting for the new 50L but I can wait with no stress

As a lot of owners of it I do love this lens.

Yes, focus shif occurs sometimes, but in my experience what I do is:

- If focus point is beyond 2.5m (8.2ft) I can use 1.2 with no focus shift
- Below that distance focus shift appears sometimes, so I take 1 or 2 photos @ 1.2 and others photos @ 1.8 or 2.0 to guarantee the focus.

I never thought to sell this lens because of focus shift.

 

[Etienne]

If they make improvements similar to other recent lenses, I would go for either one of these 50's ! But I may get that new Tamron 45 1.8 IS if it's really good, and that might just quench my thirst for a new 50.

 

[Cali Capture]

Anyone think that Canon may go Bigger f/? As in bring back the f/1.0? If the new lens strategy is to push technology and offer lenses that Nikon, Sigma, Tamron can't touch, why not push the 50. The 11-24 does this, yea 11mm is crazy wide, but hey this is a zoom that can pound out 12mm, 13mm also. So can a 1.0 be more optimized for the corners at higher f/ stops while still delivering center sharp f/1.0? You also grab Astro folks where Canon is weak. Plus we'll probably see blue gel in all the new 50-85 primes. I think the 135 will get IS!

 

[Antono Refa]

In my very humble opinion:

1) The 50mm f/1.2L is a niche (= portraiture lens), and as such doesn't and wouldn't compete with the new top of the line 50mm f/1.4 lenses. Canon would leave it as is, and that's it.

2) The 50mm f/1.8 is the cheapo kit lens from film days that remained in production because people kept buying it as an entry into the fast primes world.

3) The 50mm f/1.8 STM, takes the cheap jump into the fast primes world, and therefore...

The 50mm f/1.8 can be upgraded along the 24/28/35 lenses - with IS, USM, and a ~$550 price tag.

4) The 50mm f/1.4 USM would be upgraded to compete with new 50mm f/1.4 lenses, with a price tag to match, probably ~$1,700 (near that of the Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G AF-S).

Having four 50mm lenses might be a little confusing, so I wouldn't be surprised if the new 50mm f/1.4, or possibly the upgraded 50mm f/1.2L whenever it arrives, would have a slightly different focal length.

____ Edit, October 2nd 2015 ____

Photo Rumors site reported a Canon 58mm f/1.4 patent - http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2015-10-02

 

[ahsanford]

Good luck to any new L, but I still believe the festering, sucking belly wound in Canon's lens portfolio is not the the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM.

For me, in this context of this thread, there is not a single 50mm prime in the EF mount that autofocuses quickly and consistently and is sharp across the frame. That's all I want.

The Canon 50L is not sharp across the frame.

The Canon 50 f/1.4 USM is sharp across the frame by f/4 or so, and if you get a good copy it will focus consistently. But is famous for hunting, so total time to focus is not great.

The Sigma 50 Art is easily the sharpest, but its AF is not consistent. This has been well documented, and it is a dealbreaker for me.

The Canon 50 f/1.8 STM (or II) does not focus quickly enough for me.

I'll buy the damn L if such an all-rounder of a lens is made, but my money's still riding on the f/1.4 getting the non-L IS refresh love. A thousand dollars would leave my pocket on the day of the announcement were such a lens offered. (I know it's more of a $799 kind of lens, but I just want it that badly.)

- A

 

[PureClassA]

Given the release of the new 35L Mk II, it only makes sense that a new 50L is at least underway, if not nearing some sort of formal announcement (within the next 6 months I suppose). Those two focal lengths seems to go together for a lot of pros and obviously the roadmap for design is mostly done via the new 35. I can't imagine the new 50L being delayed more than a year at this point and honestly I'd be stunned if it was that long. Now, will it still be 1.2 (as in, a true MK II)? Or, will it go to 1.4 (and therefore NOT be a MK II)? That's still debatable, but what certainly does NOT seem in question anymore is that a new 50L must be on the imminent horizon as next year will mark the 50L 1.2 10 year anniversary and now we have a radically redesigned and seemingly notably optically superior 35 MK II that will certainly NOT remain lonely for long.

 

[ahsanford]

Given the release of the new 35L Mk II, it only makes sense that a new 50L is at least underway, if not nearing some sort of formal announcement (within the next 6 months I suppose). Those two focal lengths seems to go together for a lot of pros and obviously the roadmap for design is mostly done via the new 35. I can't imagine the new 50L being delayed more than a year at this point and honestly I'd be stunned if it was that long. Now, will it still be 1.2 (as in, a true MK II)? Or, will it go to 1.4 (and therefore NOT be a MK II)? That's still debatable, but what certainly does NOT seem in question anymore is that a new 50L must be on the imminent horizon as next year will mark the 50L 1.2 10 year anniversary and now we have a radically redesigned and seemingly notably optically superior 35 MK II that will certainly NOT remain lonely for long.

I still believe Canon wants a three price point 50 prime market:

50 f/1.2L --> 50 f/1.2L II: A lens built around draw/bokeh, meant to be used almost exclusively for small DOF work, portraiture, etc.

50 f/1.4 USM --> 50 f/nooneknows IS USM: A fully featured lens (internal focusing, distance scale, IS, etc.) that is meant for general use.

50 f/1.8 II --> 50 f/1.8 STM: The gateway prime that gets you hooked on primes' two major selling points over zooms: sharpness and small DOF. Spartan feature set: focus by wire, no distance scale, telescoping external focusing, etc.

For that very reason, I have a hard time seeing Canon slow down the 50L II to f/1.4 as it's quite possible the 50 f/nooneknows IS USM would also be f/1.4 and Canon would have a hard time selling a $1,500 lens against a similarly max apertured (est.) $750 lens.

- A

 

[PureClassA]

And I agree with everything you just said, my only point that while the particulars of the new L may be debatable, the fact that a new L (of some aperture and variety) should not be in doubt whatsoever. Canon isn't going to leave that new 35 all by its lonesome self for very long at all.

Given the release of the new 35L Mk II, it only makes sense that a new 50L is at least underway, if not nearing some sort of formal announcement (within the next 6 months I suppose). Those two focal lengths seems to go together for a lot of pros and obviously the roadmap for design is mostly done via the new 35. I can't imagine the new 50L being delayed more than a year at this point and honestly I'd be stunned if it was that long. Now, will it still be 1.2 (as in, a true MK II)? Or, will it go to 1.4 (and therefore NOT be a MK II)? That's still debatable, but what certainly does NOT seem in question anymore is that a new 50L must be on the imminent horizon as next year will mark the 50L 1.2 10 year anniversary and now we have a radically redesigned and seemingly notably optically superior 35 MK II that will certainly NOT remain lonely for long.

I still believe Canon wants a three price point 50 prime market:

50 f/1.2L --> 50 f/1.2L II: A lens built around draw/bokeh, meant to be used almost exclusively for small DOF work, portraiture, etc.

50 f/1.4 USM --> 50 f/nooneknows IS USM: A fully featured lens (internal focusing, distance scale, IS, etc.) that is meant for general use.

50 f/1.8 II --> 50 f/1.8 STM: The gateway prime that gets you hooked on primes' two major selling points over zooms: sharpness and small DOF. Spartan feature set: focus by wire, no distance scale, telescoping external focusing, etc.

For that very reason, I have a hard time seeing Canon slow down the 50L II to f/1.4 as it's quite possible the 50 f/nooneknows IS USM would also be f/1.4 and Canon would have a hard time selling a $1,500 lens against a similarly max apertured (est.) $750 lens.

- A

 

[NancyP]

The 50 f/1.2L is a specialty lens for portraiture and shouldn't go away.
A sharp at f/1.4 to f/2.0, IS, 50mm lens would be nice to have.
The cheap STMs are a necessity for users with budgets. I love my 40mm f/2.8 STM as a landscape lens, especially as a "backup" lens when primarily shooting macro or birds, and wanting to carry a moderate-wide angle lens for any landscape opportunities that show up. 130 grams - can't beat that.

 

[TeT]

35 L II
50 L II (2016)
85 L III (2017)

all coming; my dates are pure guesstimation

the 50 1.4 replacement will show up along the way probably equivalent to the 35 2 IS in quality (which will make most everyone drool a little on the way to the store)

 

[The Flasher]

I'd toss my recently purchsed Sigma Art 50 for this - if the optics are on par with the new generation of Canon glass.

 

[dolina]

Film-era L lenses. Year cut off is 2004

Primes
1993 EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
1996 EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM
1996 EF 135mm f/2L USM
1996 EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
1997 EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Zooms
1995 EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
1999 EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
2004 EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM

We are now in the era where in old lenses will show their design flaws on high pixel density cameras like the 5DS & 5DS R

I am keen on the 135 replacement.

The 50/1.2 came out in 2006. Would be interesting to see how much better it will be over the Art and Otus.